


Heart of Stone

by BistaUss



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, May Day Menagerie, Rumbelle - Freeform, gargoyle!Belle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 18:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BistaUss/pseuds/BistaUss
Summary: My May Day Menagerie fic for the lovely moonlight91 on Tumblr. Rumplestiltskin needs a certain ingredient for a spell to follow his son across the realms, but can he get the heart from a clever gargoyle? My first foray into the enemies to lovers trope and everything went better than expected.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moonlight91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlight91/gifts).



_“You are certain this is what you want?,” the Dark One hissed._

_The young woman nodded, her blue eyes wide but determined. “It is,” she replied. “My people need a protector, and there is no one else.”_

_“Very well,” the Dark One’s face split into a grin. “You shall have what you desire.” He waved a hand over the woman, and a cloud of dark red smoke enveloped her._

_She gasped as the smoke constricted around her, squeezing her in a way that took her by surprise. Tighter and tighter the smoke closed in, and she couldn’t help but shriek in pain. Panic sank in when she realized she couldn’t move, and the air was pressed out of her lungs as the smoke curled into her open mouth, down her nose, and into her eyes. Beneath her skin, there was a concussive force, like thunder without sound, and a ripple spread from within her and out onto her skin. In the haze, time lost meaning, and there was nothing but the pain, the sound of her bones, her organs, her skin cracking._

_Finally, there was silence, and she could breathe again. She sucked in a shuddering gasp and raised her hands to her face. The feeling was off, and that sound...she looked down at her hands and saw that her skin had turned to stone, her fingers ended in claws of granite. She looked past her hands and saw that her feet, too, ended in large stone talons. What she could see of her legs had changed too, now resembling the legs of some grotesque beast._

_Anger like_ _she had never experienced surged through this new body, and she growled, an otherworldly sound, at the Dark One. “What have you done to me?”, she demanded, her voice surprisingly still her own. She felt motion behind her, felt her improbable stone wings flex, her heavy stone tail whip to and fro._

_The sorcerer before her chuckled. “I gave you what you asked for,” he replied. “Now your people have an eternal, invulnerable protector.” He gave a mock bow and vanished in a thick cloud of red smoke._


	2. Chapter 1

Rumplestiltskin flipped through the massive book, scanning the various spells and rituals, looking for any reference to traversing the realms. He’d lost the last magic bean to that loathsome pirate, there were no living realm jumpers, and the spell involving dragon’s scales and the hair of a unicorn had simply blown up in his face. His latest attempt to find the way had led him to the hidden library of a wizard who claimed to be “the most evil sorcerer in all the lands.” As the man had simply been human, Rumplestiltskin doubted the claim but took the wizard’s books nonetheless. He would leave nothing to chance and would search anything he could. 

Pausing on a likely looking page, Rumplestiltskin ran a finger down the parchment as he read the particulars. Dragon scales again; irritating, but easy enough to acquire. Lamb’s blood, the voice of a mermaid, he mentally checked off all the items, starting to feel hopeful, until he reached the end of the list. Grimacing, he muttered, “Where am I supposed to find the living stone heart of a gargoyle?”

Something in his periphery twitched, and he looked up. He rolled his eyes as he spied a manifestation of a previous incarnation of the Dark One. Normally he could keep the darkness quiet, and even when it wrested control from him it was usually limited to voices in his head. He’d been the Dark One for nearly a century, and this hadn’t occurred in some time. “Well, what do you want, dearie?” He asked the apparition while trying to sort out why his control had slipped.

“You didn’t slip, Rumplestiltskin,” the vision said, his voice a gravelly baritone. “You let me free because you need me.”

“I doubt that very much,” Rumplestiltskin replied, turning back to the book.

“The living stone heart of a gargoyle,” the other said, causing Rumplestiltskin to look back up at him. “Hard to find. Not many gargoyles in this realm.” He grinned. 

“You know where to find one,” Rumplestiltskin said flatly.

“I do,” the other sighed. “I made her, after all. Bound her all in stone, and tied her to her land. She will still be there, for she cannot leave the place.”

“Tell me where this place is,” Rumplestiltskin demanded, giddy at the prospect. The one piece of this new spell he hadn’t been sure of, yet it was within his grasp. This time, this time he would break through, he would find his son. “Tell me quickly! I haven’t got time to tarry!”

The apparition closed its eyes and sighed again, the darkness obviously pleased. “You will find her far to the north, on an island that has no name, in the ruins of the temple. The people have long since moved on, and still, she is there.”

Rumplestiltskin felt the vision of the island fill his mind, granted to him by the memory of the previous Dark One. He gave an impish giggle and vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

The island was even smaller than he’d thought and emptier than the memory he’d been given. In his predecessor's day, there had been people living here. Very few, but they had been there. Most of the traces of them were being reclaimed by nature. The outlines of some buildings were still visible beneath the sea of green, grass and creeping vines taking over the stone and wood structures. Rumplestiltskin strolled along for a time, eyes peeled for the remains of the temple. It did not take him long to find. What had been a temple before was certainly a ruin, and could hardly be called that. All that was left visible was a collapsed tower, with a base wall standing merely five feet high, and the rest in a pile of crumbled stone, slowly being covered by dirt and foliage. 

He wasn’t trying to be stealthy, and he walked about the sad remains in a large circle, looking about and listening for any unnatural movement. He’d made a full circuit and was halfway into a second when he heard the whoosh of air followed by a ground-shaking thud behind him. Turning lazily, a grin already on his face, he took in the sight.

The gargoyle was impressive, if smaller than he’d imagined. Only about six feet tall, with a wingspan to match, it stood on taloned feet, a tail swishing behind it. Its head was vaguely dragonlike, with a short snout and prominent teeth, all made of stone. In fact, its eyes seemed to be the only part of it not hewn from stone. Impossibly bright blue, with no whites or pupils breaking the color, those eyes looked him up and down, and the creature growled. 

“I know you,” it said, the light, feminine voice so at odds with the mouthful of sharp teeth, the sheer size of the thing. “You look different now, but I know you.”

“You’re thinking of someone else, dearie,” he replied. “I’ve never laid eyes on a gargoyle before.”

She snarled. “I can smell it on you. The darkness.” Her head tilted slightly, nostrils flaring. “You are the Dark One.”

“Rumplestiltskin, at your service!” He gave one of his most elaborate bows.

“That wasn’t your name before,” the gargoyle said. “But it makes no difference to me. Whatever your name, I will destroy you.”

With a roar, she leapt at him with surprising speed. He did not try to dodge, instead, he met her attack with an outstretched hand, which sank right into her chest. Her blazing eyes widened, and Rumplestiltskin closed his fingers around her heart, feeling the unyielding stone. Crowing with triumph, he pulled, but before he could pull the heart from her, her body shifted and changed before his eyes. Stone became flesh, her wings and tail and claws vanished into a petite human body, and the heart that left her chest was the same as all the hearts he’d pulled from other humans.

Clutching her heart, Rumplestiltskin shoved her away and she didn’t resist, letting herself fall to the ground. The Dark One stared at the heart in his hand. He had felt it, just a moment ago it had been the stone heart he needed. Snarling, he gave it a squeeze, and the gargoyle-turned-human grunted in pain.

Rumplestiltskin stood over her as she shifted into a sitting position and looked up at him. “What the hell just happened?” She didn’t respond, so he gave the heart another squeeze. “Answer me!”

Wincing, she obeyed. “I shapeshifted.”

“I can see that! How did you do it? I know the Dark One who created you didn’t give you that power.”

“No, he did not,” she replied, her eyes, still blue but now more human, bright with hatred. “But a witch who found me here did. She couldn’t break the curse that tied me to this land, but she could give me the freedom to choose which form to live in.” She stopped speaking and glared at him, lips pressed together.

“Shift back,” Rumplestiltskin commanded. He could see her trying to resist, but with her heart in his hand, she couldn’t fight it for long. With a cry of frustration, her human form seemed to crack, as though thunder shook her from the inside out. The stone skin appeared from beneath her flesh and her larger form took the place of the more frail body. Her wings flapped once in anger when the shift had completed, but when she looked down at him, a chuckle escaped her.

It was easy to see why. The heart hadn’t shifted with her. Instead of turning to stone when she did, it remained the glowing red flesh of any magically removed human heart. Reflexively, Rumplestiltskin clenched his fist around it, and the gargoyle dropped to her knees. “So,” he muttered, easing his grip. “It only shifts with you if it’s inside you.”

“That means you can’t get what you want,” she said, slowly coming back to her feet.

His gaze shot to her. “And what do you know of what I want?”

“I know there are some spells that call for the living stone heart of a gargoyle,” she replied. “I read a lot of books, before all this,” she added, gesturing to her body. 

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Well, aren’t you the clever one. Now then, be a good gargoyle and hold still.”

She had no choice but to do as he said, and didn’t move as he stepped towards her. He shoved her heart back into her chest but didn’t relinquish his grip on it. Once it was back in her body, he felt it change back to stone. Gleefully, he ripped it back out once more, only to find that she had been quicker, and shifted in the blink of an eye, so the heart that left her was human again.

With a wordless cry of anger, Rumplestiltskin’s fist closed, tighter and tighter, the woman before him doubling over, but keeping her eyes on him, mocking him with her gaze. He released his grip on her heart and she took several deep breaths, never looking away from him.

“I can shift faster than you can take my heart,” she said softly. “I believe we are at a stalemate, Dark One.”

Rumplestiltskin whirled away from her, striding several paces away, needing to think. He could attempt the same thing again, perhaps ordering her to keep still for a certain amount of time? But no, he knew that once the heart was back in her chest, whether he had hold of it or not, she had her free will. He could only control her so long as her heart was in his power, and the magic dictated that that only occurs when the damn thing was outside the body. Cursing under his breath, he turned and paced back to the gargoyle, still in her human form, watching him without expression. “I will turn this heart back to stone,” he growled.

Maddeningly, she just shrugged and gave him an immensely irritating grin. “You can try. Why not give it back to me in the meantime?”

“Oh, I don’t think so, dearie! I’ll just hold onto it for safekeeping.” Her heart vanished in a small puff of purple smoke, and she bared her teeth. “Perhaps I should bring you back to my castle for safekeeping as well,” he added.

“As delightful as that sounds, I cannot leave this place,” she said, a slight flicker of resentment in her eyes.

“Hmmm,” Rumplestiltskin retreated into his own mind for a moment, seeking out the memories of the Dark One who had made her what she was, who had bound her to this place. He couldn’t always access the previous Dark Ones’ memories like this, but it seemed the darkness was intrigued by what he was doing, and he was able to find what he needed. He could just make out the weave of the spell. Not enough to change everything, but it was enough. With a snap of his fingers, the thread that tied her to the island broke. “There we are, now you can accompany me!” he giggled.

She narrowed her eyes, distrust written all over her face.

“Come come, we haven’t got all day!” Before she could respond, he reached out and grabbed her by the wrist and whisked them both to the Dark Castle in a cloud of purple smoke.


	3. Chapter 2

When the smoke cleared and Belle could see, she couldn’t stop the tears that came to her eyes. She could be angry later, she could try to find a way to get her heart back later, she could do anything _ later.  _ Right now all she could do was try to keep from sobbing. It had been so long, she’d memorized every inch, every tree, every blade of grass on her island, and now she was somewhere different. Pressing her hands to her mouth, she stared around the grand room, the huge windows hidden behind thick curtains, the long table, the enormous fireplace. Her gaze couldn’t settle, there was just so much that was new. 

 

And then she was looking at Rumplestiltskin, who was watching her with a curious look. Trying to get herself under control, Belle cleared her throat and blinked a few times. “Well then,” she said, her voice cracking once. “What are you planning to do with me?”

 

He tapped his cheek with a finger. “With you? Nothing, dearie. I have no interest in you, unless you’re going to change your heart back to stone and give it to me?” With a flourish, her heart appeared in his hand. “Just shift it back and our business can be concluded.”

 

“So you can kill me?” she scoffed. 

 

“It’s nothing personal,” the imp replied with a grin. “It’s not my fault you’re the only living gargoyle in the realm.”

 

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

 

“Very well then,” Rumplestiltskin said, matching her glare with one of his own. “In that case, I think you should shift back to your stone self and get outside. Set yourself up by the front door and frighten away any passerby, or fly around the castle if that suits you. But do not leave the grounds.” He met her bared teeth with a smirk. “It wouldn’t do you any good anyway. However far you could get, I could kill you in a moment.”

 

That made her snarl turn into a smile. “You won’t risk it. You said it yourself, I’m the only living gargoyle in the realm. If you kill me, where will you get a new heart?”

 

“I’m immortal, dearie,” he shot back. “I’ve got all the time in the world. Now go on, shift back.” She didn’t try to resist the command, and her human skin cracked and fell away, her stone form emerging, wings and tail unfurling. “Get outside and stay there.” She turned and prowled toward the door, a soft laugh escaping her that made him see red. “Stop.” The gargoyle froze, not bothering to look back at him. “You never told me your name.”

 

That made her turn, her bright blue eyes burning, her stone face twisted with anger. No one living knew her name, it had been so long since anyone had known her. She couldn’t give it to him, she wouldn’t.  _ Don’t let him have it,  _ her mind screamed, over and over.  _ Don’t let him have it don’t let him have it don’tdon’tdon’t _

 

“Tell me your name,” Rumplestiltskin growled.

 

Her taloned hands curled into fists and her teeth groaned as she clenched her jaw. Her tail thrashed against her legs, her wings curled inwards as if they could shield her from following the command. She shook her head back and forth, eyes closing as she fought. The seconds stretched on and on before something inside of her seemed to snap. “Belle,” she rasped when she couldn’t hold it in any longer. “My name is Belle.”

 

Her eyes opened, and she looked at him, furious. For half a second she considered leaping at him and ripping the head from his shoulders. But he still held her heart in his hand, and she wasn’t ready to risk it yet. Instead, she just growled, and turned away, heading for the massive doors that would hopefully lead her outside, away from the smug little imp.

 

Once out of the doors, she threw herself into the sky. She certainly wasn’t going to sit by the front door like a decoration. Circling the castle, she let her thoughts go, not following their tracks for some time as she flew and looked, just for the pleasure of seeing. The grounds were large, and the castle itself was more impressive than any building she’d seen. From the air, she didn’t see any other signs of nearby civilization, just the long swaths of grass and the forest beyond, all framed by bleak mountains.

 

Belle flew another circuit, her wings flapping tirelessly, her mind churning as she turned her focus inward. With one hand, Rumplestiltskin had done the exact same thing the last Dark One she’d encountered had done; chained her to one place, trapped her forever. And yet, oddly enough, in the other hand he had given her a strange sort of freedom. For the first time in nearly two centuries, she could feast her eyes on a land that was not her own tiny island. Before she’d been changed, she had hoped to one day travel beyond her isolated home and see more of the world, to explore and have adventures. Trying to be a hero had robbed her of that dream, had left her trapped and alone. Now, it seemed like the whole world was open to her, if only she could retrieve her heart. She could be patient, she had all the time in the world, but then so did he. Two immortals at an impasse meant she might be stuck here for a very long time. But she felt hopeful for the first time since her change. Whatever Rumplestiltskin needed her heart for, she doubted he would kill her and risk what might be his only chance at getting a living stone heart. She’d just have to study him, watch him closely, and seize the first opportunity to take back her heart.

 

***

 

The Dark One hadn’t bothered with the gargoyle after he’d sent her out to the grounds. He’d gone straight up to his workshop and tried to find a way to change her heart back to stone. He poked around with his various potions but was loathe to try anything on the heart itself until he was certain. So he spent a long while tinkering, mixing this and that and casting spells, when he suddenly had an idea. It did not take him long to construct a small cuff out of enchanted materials, and with a final spell cast over it, he was ready to test it out. Appearing in the great hall, he sent a mental summons and waited, arms crossed and one foot tapping impatiently.

 

The gargoyle came strolling through the doors, in her human body, and looked at him with an irritable expression. “You called, oh imposing one?” Her voice was thick with scorn but he did not rise to it.

 

“Shift,” Rumplestiltskin commanded. She didn’t bother attempting to resist. Her human skin cracked and fell away, the stone body emerging, and she stretched to her full height, wings folding behind her. “Now hold still,” the Imp said, and she did not move as he approached. He took her right arm and slapped some kind of cuff over her wrist. She felt a strange tingle coming from it as it closed without an obvious seal. 

 

Rumplestiltskin took a few steps back and crossed his arms. “Shift again,” he told her.

 

Belle wasn’t resisting the order, but nothing happened. She didn’t feel anything, and looked down at herself. She was still stone. She tried again, focusing, and felt the resistance coming from the cuff he’d placed on her wrist. Snarling, she clawed at it but it wouldn’t budge. “What is this?” she demanded, looking back at him.

 

“A magical block, dearie!” he replied with a giggle of delight. “I made it specially for you! Now you can’t shapeshift. Which means this time, it should work.” He produced her heart, and her eyes widened. If she couldn’t shift, he might be able to take her heart while it was stone. Her tail thrashed behind her as she quickly weighed her options. She knew he couldn’t control her once her heart was back in her chest, but he wouldn’t let it go. Fleeing would not work. If she were fast, perhaps she could attack him, distract him long enough to protect her heart. She crouched, tense and ready to strike as he slowly approached. He read her intentions in her posture, and the hand that wasn’t holding her heart waved through the air in front of her. Suddenly Belle was as immobile as any stone.  _ No! _ , she screamed internally, pressing with all her might against the force that held her. She watched the Dark One’s smug face, straining against his magic, a growl she couldn’t voice growing in her throat.  _ I will not let you win,  _ she thought.

 

Rumplestiltskin shoved her heart back into her chest and felt it morph into stone. Grinning with triumph, he pulled.

 

As Belle felt her heart beat inside her breast once again, time seemed to slow to a crawl. She was still held by the Imp’s spell, but the desperation she felt seemed to unlock something she hadn’t known was there. It was like a crack of lightning inside her head, and she felt the cuff he’d placed on her snap. Instantly, she pulled her stone body back beneath her human flesh and collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily, eyes unable to focus. 

 

“What the hell was that?” Rumplestiltskin’s voice was flat, far from the delighted cackle he’d used only moments before.

 

Still taking deep, steadying breaths, Belle lifted herself to a sitting position and looked up at him. The sight of her human heart, red and glowing, brought a smirk to her face. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She didn’t know how she’d bested his magic, but in that instant, she didn’t care. For now at least, she had beaten him. “Looks like you’ll have to come up with a new idea.” Before he could do more than bare his teeth, she shifted once more to her stone form and threw herself into the air, carelessly crashing through one of the tall windows and out into the open. Belle felt his order not to leave the grounds, but in that moment it made no difference to her. For that moment, he had lost.


	4. Chapter 3

Rumplestiltskin was angry.

 

Over the past several days, he’d gathered every book he could find that referenced gargoyles, and they were few enough as the creatures were so rare in this realm. He spent all his time in his workshop, pouring over every word. There had been precisely one line about gargoyles that could shapeshift, and it simply read, “Some accounts of the creatures being able to shapeshift have been heard, but little is known about the ability.” And he could find nothing about them being able to overcome the magic of others, as she had done to him. He waved a hand over the useless tome, vanishing it from his sight.

 

Muttering a string of curses under his breath, he moved to the window, unconsciously seeking out the gargoyle’s form. She was not flying about on her stone wings, but he spotted her, in her human body, wandering about the grounds. She’d dressed in a blue peasant’s dress that she’d dug out of gods knew where, and she seemed to be strolling along without purpose.

 

He shook his head and turned from the window, thinking on what to do now. With a snap of his fingers, he was out of his workshop and standing before his spinning wheel. He sat on the stool, meticulously gathering straw from the basket, and settled easily into the rhythm of spinning it into gold. As he spun he tried to sink deep into his mind, where he usually kept the Others locked away. If the Dark One who had made the girl a gargoyle knew something, or perhaps another predecessor, if he could just find it within the darkness, it might be the key to unlocking everything.

 

It was like descending into a thick dark mist, the place inside him where the darkness gathered. When he had first taken on his curse, it had filled his mind, and he would hear their voices constantly, sometimes as a dull murmur, sometimes as clear as if they were really standing beside him, but they were always there. Over the years he had learned to push it all back to a corner of his mind, to quiet the droning, to have his head be his own again. Now he let himself spiral down into that lightless place, looking intentionally for them, for the one who had the knowledge he needed. It was quieter than he expected, but he pressed on, further and further.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

He snarled as he was snapped back to awareness, about to order the damn girl out again, when he saw the enormous pile of gold beneath the wheel. He blinked, the only surprise he would let himself show. Apparently, Rumplestiltskin had been lost inside his own mind for at least an hour and hadn’t realized it. His jaw clenched. Nothing. The darkness had given him nothing, not even the sense to notice the time passing.

 

Clearing his throat, he spun around on his stool and faced her. “What does it look like, dearie?”

 

Belle’s gaze shifted from him to the wheel, the gold, the straw, and then back to him again. “It looks,” she replied slowly, “as if you were spinning straw into gold. Possibly while napping, judging by how startled you were just now.”

 

“I certainly was not startled,” Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but retort. “I hate being interrupted when I’m spinning!” 

 

Belle’s raised eyebrow was answer enough, but she said, “Why?”

 

“Does anyone like being interrupted when they’re working?”

 

“No, not that,” she said, shaking her head. “I meant why were you spinning straw into gold?”

 

Rumplestiltskin had to pause for a moment. He didn’t think anyone had ever asked him that. He narrowed his eyes at her, the frankness of her question getting his back up. “Why do you want to know?”

 

Her head tilted and she shrugged, “I’ve never seen it before. Of course I’ve seen a spinning wheel, and I’ve seen them used to make yarn, but there was little enough in the way of magic where I’m from. I’m just curious as to what purpose it serves.”

 

The Dark One pressed his lips together, then answered, “Magic is power. Performing any magic, no matter how small, keeps my powers strong. And the gold I make is magical in its own right. Sometimes I use it as currency in the deals I make. Or in various spells and potions for my own devices. Does that answer your question, dearie?”

 

“I suppose. You can’t just make magic gold appear out of thin air, then?”

 

He snorted. “You can’t make something out of nothing. If I have ‘magic gold’ I can summon it from wherever I have it stored, but no, I cannot make it appear out of thin air.”

 

“Is that what happens when you vanish things, too? They go somewhere else to be stored?” She hadn’t expected to be so curious, especially given the last confrontation they’d had, but she couldn’t help herself. The human girl who’d wanted to learn more about everything was peeking out from wherever she’d been buried for so long.

 

“Exactly.” Suddenly he hissed. He saw where she was going now. “If you’re trying to find out where I keep your heart, I won’t be fooled that easily, girl!”

 

Her look of genuine confusion caught him entirely off guard, but it was quickly replaced by a look of anger. “I’m older than you, you know. You really shouldn’t call me ‘girl.’ And I wasn’t trying to figure out where you’d hidden my heart at all. I came inside because I was bored. I’ve walked the grounds three times today alone, and I wanted to have a look round in here. Your sleep-spinning caught my attention, but I’ll leave you to it now. I’m sure you need another giant pile of magic gold for whatever vile plans you were cooking up.” She whirled and stalked out of the room.

 

Rumplestiltskin was halfway off his stool when he realized what he was doing, and sat back down, shaking his head. She wouldn’t be able to find her heart, and any rooms where she might wreak havoc were locked and magically sealed. He shook his head and turned back to the wheel, intending to spin a while longer and perhaps try digging into the darkness again. But that look she’d given him before she’d turned furious; confused, almost hurt, seemed burned into his eyelids and he couldn’t concentrate. What the hell was wrong with him? Her questions had clearly been a ploy to try and weed information out of him. And even if she had been upset, why should he care? It was a relief when, like a feather tickling his ear, he heard some desperate soul calling out for the Dark One. Giving his head another shake, he vanished, trying to leave the troublesome thoughts behind.

 

***

 

Days passed, and Belle did not see Rumplestiltskin again. She was still angry at herself for getting caught up in her questions, her complete lack of forethought. She very well could have been looking for clues to find her heart, but it had completely flown from her mind when she saw him spinning straw into gold. The hunger for new information had taken over entirely. So she spent her time outside, keeping to herself and seeing just how far she could push away from the castle before the command not to leave stopped her.

 

When night would start to fall, Belle would make her way back to the castle door. She had slept in her stone form the first night but had quickly decided that was unwise. Should Rumplestiltskin catch her unawares in that form, he might be able to change her heart back faster than she could shift. So she’d been sleeping in her human body, curling beneath the bushes outside the door. It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable, but she’d never bothered to rebuild a bed for herself back on her island, so it wasn’t much of a change. It never came to her to try sleeping inside the castle.

 

One morning she awoke covered in a light layer of frost. Shaking her limbs vigorously, she entered the castle and made her way to the fireplace in the great hall. She was holding her hands over the flames when she heard footsteps behind her.

 

“Chilly this morning, dearie?”

 

Belle just rubbed her hands together, pointedly ignoring the Dark One. Suddenly her view of the fireplace vanished in a cloud of purple smoke. When it cleared, she saw that he had transported her to a different room in the castle. She spun to face him, certain he was going to try some new trick.

 

“Why not sleep in here from now on?”

 

Confused, Belle glanced around. They were standing in a lovely, if plain, bedchamber, complete with a vanity, wardrobe, and a door that presumably lead to a washroom. She looked back at him, suspicious. “Why?”

 

“Maybe I don’t want you to die of exposure,” he retorted. “A thank you wouldn’t go amiss.”

 

“I can’t die from exposure,” Belle shot back, crossing her arms. “And I am not thanking you.”

 

His eyes flashed. “Your frail human form can withstand the ice and snow, can it? Interesting.”

 

“My frail human form,” she replied, dragging out the words sarcastically, “can withstand quite a lot. So you needn’t worry, oh concerned one.” 

 

“How very reassuring,” he said, matching her sarcastic tone. “The room is yours, either way. Whether or not you utilize it is entirely up to you.” Without another word, he vanished in another cloud of purple smoke.

 

Belle let out a groan as soon as he was gone. She knew he didn’t act out of kindness, for there certainly was none of that in him. This was just the latest play in this game of theirs. She looked once more at the bed. Devious though his intentions clearly were, it did look more comfortable than the grass. If anything, sleeping in the bed was probably the last thing he’d expect her to do. Yes, she decided, accepting the room would throw him off, if only momentarily. She left the room, grinning as she anticipated the Imp’s reaction.

 

***

 

In his workshop, still trying to figure out another way of changing the girl’s heart back to stone, Rumplestiltskin was considering his next step. Giving her a bedroom was a good start, he decided. Clearly, force wasn’t the key here, as each time he’d tried she’d been able to overcome his powers. If he couldn’t find the right spell or potion, he’d have to find a way to get her guard down. So he would make her comfortable, let her fall into the trap gradually.

 

Nodding to himself, he went in search and found her in the great hall once more.

 

“Do you eat?”

 

Belle jumped at the Dark One’s voice, lifting her head to look at him. She’d been sitting in front of the fireplace, staring into the embers absently, and hadn’t heard him approach. “What?”

 

“Food, dearie, do you eat food?” he said slowly.

 

Her brows furrowed. “Why do you ask?”

 

“Knowledge is power, so they say.”

 

Belle narrowed her eyes at him. “You think knowing whether or not I eat will help you?” She shook her head and turned her gaze back to the fire.

 

“I think knowledge about your nature will help me, and you giving me that knowledge willingly will be far more pleasant, for you.”

 

She snorted. “I’ll make you a deal, Dark One,” she said, turning back in time to catch the gleam in his eye. “I’ll answer your questions, if you’ll answer mine.” She saw his jaw clench, and she smirked. “What’s the harm? Should you gain the knowledge you need, I doubt I’ll live to tell anyone the story. And if you don’t, well, that’s a concern for later, isn’t it?” Belle stood, facing him, and crossed her arms. “Do we have a deal?”

 

Rumplestiltskin hesitated a few seconds longer. It was a minor risk, and one he had to be willing to take. This was his best chance. Flashing his most impish grin, he held out a hand. “We have a deal.” She reached out and they shook hands. “So,” he said, withdrawing his hand and gesturing at her. “I’ve already asked the first question, dearie!”

 

She rolled her eyes and sank back into her chair, curling her feet beneath her. “I don’t have to eat, but I can. Why do you want my heart?”

 

“For a spell,” he said quickly, and she glared at him. She had known that already, but his evasiveness spoke volumes. “Did you have any magic before you became a gargoyle?”

 

“Not that I was aware of,” Belle replied, thinking that she’d been questioning that herself ever since she’d broken that magical cuff he’d placed on her. She did not elaborate to him, of course. Instead, she asked, “Did you have any magic before you became the Dark One?”

 

“No,” he said shortly. “Why did my predecessor turn you into a gargoyle?”

 

“I made a deal with him to be strong, so I could be a protector for my people. This was his idea of making me strong.” She could still remember the feeling of his magic crushing her body, and she felt a brief surge of the same anger she had felt when she first saw Rumplestiltskin on her island. She looked up at him for a long moment before asking, “Why did you become the Dark One?”

 

There was a pregnant pause. “Desperation,” he said, and she glared at him. One evasive response after another. He ignored the look and asked, “The witch who gave you the power to shapeshift, did she give you any other abilities?”

 

Belle shook her head. “All things considered, her powers were relatively simple. That she managed this at all was practically a miracle.” She suddenly felt very tired, and sighed deeply. “Why bother going about it this way? Why not go the less pleasant route, as you so charmingly referred to it?”

 

Rumplestiltskin looked down at her, and for a second his expression was almost human. “I doubt it would work,” he said, and then his usual demeanor returned. “And while I may be dark, I have surprisingly little interest in torturing you.”

 

“But killing me is fine,” Belle retorted.

 

“An inescapable side effect, dearie,” he said without a shred of remorse.

 

“I’m going to bed,” Belle said, standing and moving past him. “No more questions tonight.” She didn’t wait for him to protest.

 

He might’ve done, but changed his mind and waved a hand, watching her leave the room. He hadn’t learned much yet, but there was time. He’d find the way.


	5. Chapter 4

As the days went by and they spent more time talking, Belle had a feeling she knew what he was doing. He could put on a bit of charm and act like he was interested in what she might say just for its own sake, but his endgame was always at the back of her mind. Even so, she found herself looking forward to talking to him. She hadn’t realized how starved for the presence of another living being she had been. He would still kill her if he could ever get her stone heart, but for now, she was safe enough.

 

“Why did you decide that you had to be the protector?”

 

Belle chewed her lip while she considered. That was a more complicated question than he’d asked thus far. “There was...something, on our island, something killing people. I don’t really know what it was, even now I can only remember that I killed it. I don’t even remember what it looked like.” She swallowed before going on, “But no one could stop it. We weren’t a fighting people. I had read stories about heroes, and I’d come across the story of a powerful sorcerer who could grant wishes if you were willing to pay the price. I thought I could be brave enough to pay it, to save my village.” A rueful grin crossed her face. “I did save them, so I suppose it was worth it.” She looked over to see him staring at her curiously. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, and said, “What made you desperate enough to become the Dark One?”

 

Rumplestiltskin scowled at her. She just looked at him expectantly. With a huff, he said, “My homeland was at war with the ogres, and the duke was conscripting children to fight. I became the Dark One to put an end to it.”

 

His words were clipped, but Belle felt as though she could hear the things he wasn’t saying aloud. “One of those children was yours,” she breathed. He did not answer, though his body radiated tension. “You became the Dark One to save your child.” She was certain that she was right, and though nothing had really changed, something within her shifted. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

 

He met her eyes. “I believe it’s my turn to ask the question, dearie,” he replied. “What difference does it make?”

 

She sat back and crossed her arms. “It affects the way I judge you, at least in part. Knowing that you might have a heart after all makes me view you in a slightly kinder light.” She lifted a brow and asked, “Would you tell me about your child?”

 

Rumplestiltskin shot to his feet. “We’re done here,” he spat before vanishing.

 

He stayed in his workshop for hours, trying to distract himself. Of course the damn girl had gone right to wanting to know about his son. He’d walked right into it, set himself up like a fool, and now he knew she wouldn’t let up. What was worse, he’d been enjoying conversing with her. Everything she told him would be useful later, he was sure, but somewhere that had slid into the background.

 

 _Perhaps you should just kill her,_ came a sly whisper from the back of his mind. At this point, Rumplestiltskin wasn’t sure if it was his own voice or one of the Others. Either way, it was no matter. He couldn’t risk killing her now. If anything, her questions had renewed his determination. Everything he did, every step he took, was aimed toward one goal, and he could not let himself fail.

 

Even so, even with the dark whispers in the back of his head, there was an even fainter whisper from further inside, a piece of himself long since buried, that wanted to share those stories. That small speck of the man he’d been longed to talk about his boy.

 

An involuntary snarl escaped him at the thought, but he allowed himself to consider it. Perhaps, since this road seemed to be going well enough, perhaps he could do it. Maybe this was the right path. After all, once he had her heart it would make no difference what he’d told her.

 

He’d have to try. That she had asked at all, that she said his need to protect his child made her view him in a kinder light, told him that he was on the right track. Rumplestiltskin steeled himself and made his way back down to the hall.

 

There she was, once again, sitting by the fire, this time with a book she’d found somewhere. He took a deep breath. “You were right,” he said, and she looked up at him. “I saved the children, but my son was my priority.”

 

Belle closed the book and said slowly, “Why tell me now?”

 

Rumplestiltskin went to sit at the table, a steaming pot of tea appearing with a snap of his fingers. “All magic comes at a price,” he said, pouring himself a cup and sitting in his chair. Sipping, he watched the girl approach over the rim of his cup. “Perhaps to get what I need, this is the price I must pay.” Belle lifted a brow at that, but just poured herself a cup and sat down as well. “There is one condition,” he added, setting his cup down and steepling his fingers in front of his face. “I will answer your questions, and you shall answer mine, but know this; I have lost my son, and I will not speak of those circumstances.”

 

Belle couldn’t help the rush of sympathy she felt. She, of course, had no children, but she could imagine the pain any parent would feel at the loss of their child. For a moment, she almost forgot that the Dark One had stolen her heart, that he would use it for some nefarious purpose. For just a moment, all she saw was a man who had suffered a tremendous loss. She nodded, and said, “Alright. Would you tell me his name?”

 

Rumplestiltskin’s gaze dropped to the table. “Baelfire,” he breathed.

 

“What was he like?”

 

A tiny smile crossed the Dark One’s face, and it made him appear more human than she’d ever seen him. “He was very brave. Before I ended the war, when he was going to be sent to battle, he told me he wanted to fight. He wanted to help protect our people.” He sighed. “Of course, by then it was not battle, it was suicide. He was only thirteen, he didn’t realize that.”

 

Belle pressed him for more, and he told her stories about his boy, losing himself for a while in the memories. He had to hold his mission at the forefront of his mind, but something inside him felt a profound relief to be talking about Bae for the first time in so long.

 

When he thought about it later, Rumplestiltskin wasn’t sure what made him decide to show her to the library. They had spent days, weeks, talking and talking. He knew he was straying from things that were necessarily vital to his mission, but he kept telling himself it was in the interest of gaining her trust, keeping her guard down. She had mentioned many times how much she had loved to read when she was human, and the fact that she somehow managed to find any books that were about was a testament to that fact. That she hadn’t found the library on her own yet was surprising, given the time she spent wandering the castle when the two weren’t conversing. When she looked around the room with a genuine smile, he felt his breath catch in his throat. Shaking his head, he waved a hand at her and simply said, “I’ll leave you to it, dearie,” and vanished before she could respond.

 

Appearing in his workshop, he stared vacantly out the window, listening, hoping to hear someone calling for the Dark One. He needed to get away from the castle, to clear his mind. He heard nothing but he didn’t move, his thoughts dashing about in his head too fast for him to settle them. All he knew was that somehow, he had erred. In trying to make her comfortable, to get her to lower her guard, he had lowered his. He’d given too much of himself, and now he didn’t know if he could reel himself back in. Rumplestiltskin had to recover himself before he messed this up too.

 

Finally, a call came to his mind, and he all but flung himself toward it with his magic, thankful for the reprieve. He had to get away.

 

After dealing with some hapless mortals, he returned to the castle, determined to remain aloof now. His resolve shook when he found that she had brought out the tea service, with an extra cup, clearly waiting for him. Her own cup was balanced on the arm of the chair where she sat, a book in her limp hands and her head tilted awkwardly, as she had apparently fallen asleep while reading. His insides twisted and he had to transport himself away from the hall, to regain his composure. This wasn’t going to be easy, but he had to try.


	6. Chapter 5

Rumplestiltskin should’ve known that it a lost cause, and yet it still managed to take him by surprise. It came upon him without warning, days later while he was spinning and she was by the fire, reading. He had looked over at her, curled in the chair, twirling a lock of hair around her finger while her eyes devoured the words on the pages. Something in his chest seemed to crack, and he knew he had failed in his task. Somewhere, in these months of trying to learn how to break her secrets and finally gain the one thing he needed to find his son again, he had instead come to care for her. He had to get back to Bae, but looking at her now, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could not do it at the cost of her life. Mentally cursing himself, he stood and walked slowly over to her chair. “Belle?” She looked up, a small smile on her face, as if she were happy, content, here in the home of the one who had spent so long planning her death. He felt that cracking sensation in his chest again, but ignored it. “I want to give you something.”

 

Rumplestiltskin held out his hand, and her heart appeared. Belle shot to her feet, her precariously perched teacup falling to the floor with a soft clatter. Her eyes darted between the heart in his hand and his face, confused. “Are you trying to trick me, Rumplestiltskin?”

 

He shook his head. “No tricks. It’s simple, really. I’ve decided to find a less tiresome way to complete the spell I need. I no longer require your heart.”

 

She didn’t believe that for an instant, but she couldn’t quite make sense of why he would be truly giving her back her heart. She opened her mouth to retort, but he unceremoniously shoved her heart into her chest and released it, taking several steps back. Belle covered the spot with her hands, feeling her heartbeat, and couldn’t help the tears that came to her eyes.

 

“Go on, dearie, before I change my mind!” he said in his most impish manner. Did he think he was fooling her? She knew there was something underneath the mask he had put up, but she couldn’t figure it out. Having her heart back made everything muddled, as though there were too many emotions inside her to sort out now. She needed time to recover, to think. Slowly, hands still on her chest and breathing heavily, she moved toward the doors. 

 

Before she crossed the threshold, she turned and looked at him. He was facing the fireplace, his back to her, so she had no idea what expression he wore now. “Thank you,” she murmured before she turned and ran from the castle.

 

He listened to her footsteps fade and didn’t move for what felt like a long time. His eyes landed on the teacup she had knocked to the floor, and without thinking he bent and retrieved it. It was unscathed except for a small chip at the rim. He went to his chair and set the cup gently on the table before him, leaning back and gazing at it, everything inside him an endless, roaring silence.

 

***

 

Belle flew, her stone wings carrying her tirelessly in a straight line away from Rumplestiltskin’s castle. She had shifted as soon as she’d gotten outside and taken to the air, trying to lose herself in the feeling of freedom, the first true freedom she’d had in two hundred years. The spell that had kept her tied to that island was broken, and with the return of her heart, she was free from the boundaries of the Dark Castle. She could go  _ anywhere _ , she could lose herself in the entire world.

 

And yet, her mind was churning over and over with thoughts of what she was leaving behind. It was hard to fathom how different she had been without her heart. She had still been able to feel, but she hadn’t realized how muted everything was. She flew on and on and tried to make sense of the tidal wave of emotions that had started the moment her heart was restored. Anger, even rage, at Rumplestiltskin for taking her heart in the first place and keeping her captive while he plotted how to kill her. Pity, sadness, for the man beneath the monster, the father who had tried so hard to protect the person he loved most and lost him anyway. Profound relief that he had released her. But what she could not make sense of was the regret that came when she contemplated never seeing him again. At the time, it hadn’t felt as though they were becoming friends or anything like it, yet it seemed that way now. Perhaps in sharing himself with her, and sharing herself with him, something had changed. She could sense that he had been lying when he said he didn’t need her heart anymore, and her gut told her that he must be feeling the same conflicting things she was currently trying to sort through.

 

Belle shifted her course and hurtled towards the ground, landing in a copse on the edge of a long plain. She had no idea where she was, but she turned and faced the way she had come, as though she could still see the castle behind her. It was probably insane, but the longer she stood and thought about it, the more convinced she was that there was something unfinished between her and the Dark One. And she knew that he should probably face it as well. Launching herself back into the sky, Belle pushed herself even faster, back toward the castle and whatever was waiting for her there.

 

Rumplestiltskin was at his spinning wheel, idly spinning straw into gold when the doors to the hall crashed open. He stood and turned, magic already crackling at his fingertips. The power fizzled out when he saw who had entered the hall. “Belle?” He thought he must have lost his mind, but she seemed to be real enough, and she was walking toward him with determination.

 

She stopped a few steps away from him and met his gaze unflinchingly. “You lied to me,” she said without preamble. “You lied, and I want to know the truth. Why did you set me free?”

 

He blinked at the fire in her eyes. He hadn’t seen her with her heart long enough to realize how different she was when it was outside of her. Having it back had intensified her in a way he was not prepared for. “What makes you think I was lying? I don’t need your heart anymore, and that’s the end of it.”

 

Belle took a step closer to him. “I don’t believe you. If you truly didn’t need my heart anymore, why not just crush it, kill me and be rid of me that way?”

 

He winced at her harsh tone but clenched his teeth, refusing to answer.

 

“Why did you let me go, Rumplestiltskin?”

 

She had stepped closer, too close. He could feel her breath on his skin, feel the warmth radiating from her, smell the windswept scent of her. He should step back, he should get away from her. Instead, he met her bright blue eyes, and he grabbed her by the shoulders. “I let you go because I love you!” His throat closed after he said it, and he couldn’t breathe.

 

Belle blinked, her heart pounding. His voice was more human than she’d ever heard it, even when he had talked about his boy. She had to swallow against the sudden pressure in her throat. It hadn’t been what she’d expected, but hearing it and feeling her heart swell within her, she knew it was true, and it was right. She lifted her hands to his cheeks, and his fingers tightened on her arms. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”

 

Rumplestiltskin bowed his head, seeming to shrink in on himself. “Because loving you has cost me the chance to find my son.”

 

A startled gasp escaped her and she took a step back, though she slipped her hands into his and held them as the realization crashed over her. “That’s what you needed my heart for,” she whispered. “I knew of some of the spells that needed a living stone heart. One of them was a spell to travel between realms.” Her eyes were wide when he looked up at her again. “He’s alive, and you were going to find him?” Belle’s voice trembled.

 

He couldn’t answer, all he felt was the weight of his failure pressing down on him. Then he felt her arms fold around him. He couldn’t quite bring himself to return the embrace, but he didn’t fight it.

 

“What if,” she said, her voice still shaking, “what if I gave it willingly?”

 

He pulled himself out of her arms and took her face in his hands. “Don’t,” he said, “don’t even think that. Since I took on this curse I have done many terrible things, but I could still face my son with all that on my conscience. But if I killed you,” he shook his head. “I couldn’t come back from that, Belle. I could never face Bae again.”

 

Belle covered his hands with her own. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a long breath. When she opened her eyes again, she said, “Then we find another way.”

 

“We?”

 

“Of course, we, you ass,” Belle said, rolling her eyes at him. “You said you loved me, after all. And I think I might just love you too.” She smiled at him, and he was dumbstruck. 

 

He tried to pull back, saying, “Belle, you can’t possibly-,” but she laid her hands on his shoulders and cut him off.

 

“You freed me from my island and restored my heart. Now no one can decide my fate but me. And I say my fate is with you.” Before he could reply, she covered his lips with her own.

 

Any argument he might have thought up slipped out of his mind the moment she kissed him. Mere minutes ago he’d thought that admitting his love for her was only a sign of failure, that he’d miscalculated and had ruined the one chance he had to get back to his son. But something inside him, perhaps the human still buried beneath the darkness, said that this wasn’t a misstep and that maybe a little light would set him on the right path. 

 

Rumplestiltskin’s arms slid around Belle, closing the gap between their bodies. Her hands went up into his hair, her lips parting against his. He couldn’t help a groan when her tongue lightly caressed his mouth. Their kiss deepened, and his arms tightened around her, holding her even closer.

 

When they broke apart to breathe, he pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes closed. “What spell have you laid on me?” he whispered.

 

Belle smiled, leaning into him. “No spells, no tricks.” She kissed him lightly. “Just love.”

 

He pulled back just enough to look into her face, and his expression seemed out of place in the Dark One’s face. It was so human. When he smiled, Belle thought she caught a glimpse of the man beneath the magic, but then he was kissing her again, and all she could focus on was the feeling of his lips, and his fingers sliding down to her hips. She held him as tightly as she could, pressing herself as close as she could manage, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted  _ more. _

 

Breaking the kiss, she gazed at him for a moment and asked, “Should we move to somewhere a bit more comfortable?” 

 

Rumplestiltskin seemed at a loss for words, but she lifted her brows at him, and with a wave of his hand, they were enveloped in purple smoke. When it cleared, they had appeared in her bedchamber.

 

The Dark One seemed downright nervous, so Belle took him by the hands and led him to sit on her bed. She placed his hands on her waist and gently nudged his legs apart so she could stand closer to him. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him, her tongue coaxing his mouth open, and she sighed against him. His hands slid up her sides, leaving a trail of goosebumps before slipping around her back. One hand trailed farther up, his fingers tangling in her hair. His lips left hers only to move down her neck, his teeth nipping just below her jaw, causing a shiver to run down her spine. His mouth ran along the skin at the edge of her bodice, and the hand that had been in her hair now slipped along the front of the fabric.

 

Rumplestiltskin pulled his head back and looked up at her. She gazed at him, her hands on his shoulders, and she could see the question he was trying to ask. She leaned down and touched her forehead to his. “Rumple,” she murmured, “I want to make love with you.” She felt him tense slightly and straightened so she could see his face. “If you aren’t ready, we don’t have to.”

 

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Gods, Belle,” he said, his hands going to her waist and pulling her against him, his face buried in her neck. “Of course I want to,” he mumbled against her skin, and she couldn’t help a smile. “You just...you surprise me.” That made her smile grow, and she stroked his hair, holding him close.

 

They stayed that way for a time, breathing in each other’s scents, and Rumplestiltskin was the first to move again. He kissed Belle’s neck, slowly moving up to her jawline, as one hand slipped back to the front of her bodice and began working at the strings that held it closed. As it fell open, he sank his teeth into her neck. Belle gasped, arching against him and letting out a soft moan. Her hands fumbled down his chest, needing to start working away at all clothing he wore. His teeth released the skin on her throat, and he ran his tongue over the spot while his hands joined hers, easily slipping off his waistcoat and then her bodice. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, his mouth covering hers.

 

Emboldened, Belle shifted her legs so she was straddling his lap, pressing herself against him, the heat of his body through their shirts sending an answering heat to her core. She ran her hands down his sides, then tugged his shirt free of his pants and up over his head in one swift motion. She kissed him fiercely while her fingers ran down the bare skin of his chest, making him shudder and clutch at her. His hands fisted in the fabric of her blouse, and he pulled out of their kiss long enough to tear it over her head before their mouths met again.

 

In a movement so quick it made her gasp, Rumplestiltskin had flipped her around so she was laying on her back, and his clever fingers made quick work of her skirts and everything beneath. Quite suddenly she was naked beneath him, but when he looked down at her with fire in his eyes, she was not self-conscious. She reached out to him and he lay atop her, his skin hot against hers. He was still wearing his pants, though she could feel his hardness through the leather and it made her shiver with desire. He kissed her, long and almost lazily, before slowly trailing his mouth down her neck. By the time his lips caressed one of her nipples, Belle was whimpering at the sensations. She shifted her hips, pressing against him.

 

Rumplestiltskin growled against her skin before standing and quickly shedding his remaining clothes. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, could barely believe that she was laying their, bare before him, gazing at him with want written all over her. He sucked in a deep breath before he lay back on the bed alongside her. Propping himself on one elbow, he lowered his mouth to hers while his free hand caressed her. He traced long lines down her throat, around her breasts, and over her belly, making the circuit several times until she was moaning into his mouth. Gently he slid his hand between her legs, the wetness he found there making his own arousal grow more insistent. Slowly, teasingly, one finger slid into her while his tongue traced the outline of her lips.

 

Belle reached for him, trying to pull him atop her, but he whispered against her lips, “Patience, sweetheart.” She grumbled what might have been a string of curses back at him, and he chuckled while his fingers moved, soft and slow.

 

When he shifted atop her, she barely gave him a moment to settle himself between her legs. Her hand slipped between their bodies and took a firm hold of his cock. He hissed at the sensation and let her guide him to her entrance, sliding inside her like a key fitting into a lock.

 

Their gazes met. Belle moved her hips up to meet him, and he moved with her. Their mouths came together, tongues twining as their hands clutched at each other as if they could bring themselves even closer together. Rumplestiltskin’s mouth moved from hers, down her throat to her shoulder, leaving bite marks along her skin, claiming her. Belle writhed beneath him, and her legs wrapped around his waist while she moaned his name.

 

Belle took him by surprise as she rolled them over, adjusting herself once she was astride him, her hands on his chest. He gripped her by the waist as she rode him, lifting his hips in time with her. His eyes fluttered closed. “Belle,” he groaned, his hands convulsing as he tried to hold out as long as he could.

 

But she was there too, and her back arched as she came, feeling as though she was coming apart from the inside out. In the midst of the waves of pleasure, she felt Rumplestiltskin spill himself into her, a wordless cry escaping him, and she felt her body change. Instinctively, her wings flared out to keep her balance as her stone form exploded from her human one. Her first thought was how strange that was; she hadn’t meant to shift but apparently, the loss of control brought it out of her. Then she realized, she was still atop Rumplestiltskin and she suddenly weighed a considerable amount more.

 

“Rumple!” she said, looking down at him, almost too worried to move.

 

“It’s alright,” he replied. He wasn’t crushed, at any rate. She gazed down at him, embarrassed. His eyes roved over her stone form in a way they hadn’t before, and she tilted her head curiously. “Admiring the view,” he said with a smirk. “You’re beautiful in this body too, after all.”

 

Her stone skin couldn’t blush, but she thought she could feel the warmth in her cheeks all the same. With a deep breath, she pulled into herself and shifted back to her human form. Then she laid her head on his chest. His arms came around her, and one hand moved to stroke her hair. “I hope I didn’t hurt you,” she said.

 

Rumplestiltskin pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You could never hurt me,” he replied. Slowly he rearranged their positions till she was tucked against his side. “I suppose that’s never happened before.”

 

She jabbed a finger into his side. “It has not,” she said. “I suppose it has to do with losing control.” Belle wasn’t looking at his face, but she could feel the smile that brought to his face.

 

His hand started idly moving up and down her arm, a soothing motion. “Now what?”

 

Belle propped herself up so she could meet his eyes. “Now, we rest for a bit.” She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “And then, we get to work. I meant what I said, Rumple. We’re going to find a way to get you back to your son.”

 

Rumplestiltskin could still hardly believe this was real, but he cleared his throat. “You don’t know what that means to me, Belle.” He pulled her to him and kissed her. “I love you.”

 

She wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into his neck and holding him tightly. “I love you too.”


End file.
